The Man Who Knocked
by JessiePie6
Summary: Life six months later changed for Dani until the one constant that left showed back up into her life. (one shot)


_**Ok so I have had this typed for a week (except the end) or so and I am putting it out now because of the damn promo. In one of my other fic's I mentioned I would probably be spitting out one shoots like crazy until the season premier. Which this is one.**_

_**The ending was hard to write so I apologize if it gets choppy. I just got back from states and I have a bag of smart food and determination to get this ending done and so it will be.**_

_**A/N: Also the first part of this is sort of hard to explain but the italics is flashbacks/flashback thoughts of to when she had to wake up in the middle of the night and if there is any of these **then there is a response and it is normally Nico responding. Then at a certain point it is her actual thought. I will put a line there so you know when her actual thoughts start. If there is confusion please let me know**_

_**P.S. don't be shocked if you don't see an update of the other fic's until after the premier**_

* * *

_Why do I insist on coming down these god damn stairs every time I hear knocking in the middle of the night?_ At one point I was on a timer, I expected to hear these knocks at least once a week. I got use to it. Then everything changed. _Maybe I will blow up anything that can be knocked on… no that is impossible, maybe just beat up the knocker, I like that one. _Then the person who knocked disappeared from my life. _What is it this time?_ So did the timer. _Why are you here?_ So did my expectance. _Really? It's three in the morning._ So did my hope of him returning. _I thought we were done with these games._

_Ahhh, what I do for this damn team. _Soon everything else faded. _I'm shocked there isn't a groove starting in the door. _Boyfriend never happened. _There is this such thing called SLEEP! _Son insisted he was in love. _What's the situation?_ Lost a certain charm in my life. _I wonder if he gets a certain joy out of waking me up this early. _I lost my job because of the new owner. _He did what! _He said something like I don't believe in that type of magic. They're men they can deal with issues on the field, not on a couch talking. _I wonder who it could be this time, NOT._ The only one that tried to help me was TK. I told him to stop. I didn't want his job to be on the line too.

_This is annoying Nico. **But you know you love it Doctor. _I came to miss those knocks. _Nico, do you ever sleep? **Only when the sun's out. _I came to miss the knocker. _For once can it be something good. _I came to miss my job. Not my clients though, they still stayed even the ones that played for the Hawk's. _Let me grab my coat. _I came to miss what my life use to be. _Can I decline this once Nico? **No. _Before he disappeared.

_Who, why and does it have to happen now? _He left unexpectedly, no good byes or anything. _Can't this wait until morning? **No. _Every trace of him was gone. _One step, two step, please don't let me fall. _But one photo that TK manage to get awhile back. _I wonder what would happen if I didn't open the door. _I stuffed in a book a while ago; I'm not even sure where I put it. _Sleep or Nico, sleep or Nico. _I know he's gone, I just don't want to admit to it. _For once I was already up. I think I blame you. **You think doctor, that's not the greatest answer. _

At first I didn't notice the unusual loneliness. _This is a first, you're here and it's light out. _I didn't notice the missing knocking. _Nico, Nico, Nico. _I didn't notice the missing disturbance._ Why am I getting use to this? _I didn't notice the missing situations. _For once I am glad you're here. **Really Doctor? **Yes. _I didn't notice the missing man. _Do you think there's a charm to waking me up this early? When you talk like that, no, not really._ Until it was too late.

_This is getting tedious_. I thought he was gone. _What can I do this time._ But I was so, so wrong. _Don't you ever want to come by just to talk? **I would but then I might- **Yeah yeah yeah, kill me and all._

* * *

One night I went down my stairs because I heard knocking. My muscle memory kicked and I instantly thought _Nico what could it be at this hour. _Then I stopped midstride down the stairs realizing it's been six months since I last saw him. I didn't even work for the hawks anymore so why did I even get up. Hell he didn't even work for them anymore. Then I thought _should I even open the door. Six months later and I still want to open the door to find him on the other side. What do I have to lose? I've lost almost everything else. _I decided to continue down those stairs with a bit of a hesitation. _Is it him?_ I got to the door seeing a silhouette. I took a deep breath and went for the door knob. _Why now_? I turn the knob not knowing what to exactly expect. But I drew back and checked through the curtain. The man that used to knock was there. He gave me a little smile and I opened the door. He was wearing his long coat but I saw him in black jeans and one of his black dress shirts. God it's been a long time since I've seen him this laid back. I figured I should be the first one to speak.

"Nico, I'm glad to see you but couldn't this have waited until morning."

Of course he replied with very few words. "It's sort of complicated."

"Is this Nico the Fixer talking or Nico the friend?"

Then he said the one thing I would have never imagined him to say with uncertainty. "What if I said both?"

Of course hearing this from him I felt bad. And I softly said with a little smile "ok, come in." I lead him to the kitchen where I put on a kettle. "Nico, why are you here?"

"Do you mean at your residency or in general?"

I was completely uncertain so why not just say here at my home. "Both"

"That's a little complicated." I starred up into his eye and notice that this was the second time I've seen this look. The look was like he was lost, unsure what to do, but there was something else there that I haven't seen since that one night, it looked like determination.

Then I realized that he was in New York._ Shouldn't he be in Dallas? _"Nico, your job?"

A smile had reappeared on his face like it was something he was waiting for to pop up. "I could be asking you the same thing, Dani."

" Yes that is true but…wait you just called me Dani." I was more focused on the fact that he called me Dani then he was being his usual evasive self.

"Is that a problem Doctor?" at this point I could swear that he was just messing with me.

There was a smile as big as it could get on my face because we were back to our old Flirtatious bickering conversation. _Seriously I consider that flirting, well maybe it is like. No, it's just strange. _"No, no there's not. So what happened with your job?" I went to the stove so I could grab the kettle and poured both of us some tea.

"Let's just say Mr. Cuban had a different idea of handling stuff then I did."

"So he fired you."

"Kind of, if you call walking out firing, then yes." I was not shocked that he would walk out because if he was asked would go against his own beliefs he wouldn't think twice before walking out. I guess I sort of do know him.

"Umm no, but I guess it doesn't matter since you would have gotten paid more than enough for those few months."

He shook his head agreeing with my statement. "More then you know. So I told you about my job what about yours?"

This was Nico so I kind of figured he already knew the details of what happened. "Well the new owner insulted me so I sort of."

Then out of the blue he interrupted me because he knew what I did. He knew what type of person I was since the first day we meet and that was over two years ago. "And you sort of went all Santino on him didn't you?" once he said that it brought me back to that night he told me if I went outside I would go full Santino on the reporters and the last thing I needed was to be on a magazine cover making the situation worst. I knew part of him had fun saying that but the other part of him was serious because he knew I would do that. _He knew me but does he still know me?_

I looked up from my cup with a shy smile and responded to him. "Kind of."

I noticed once I said that there was amusement expressed on his face. I was never shocked when he did find amusement in what I did or said because when he did I would see him smile or at least produce some type of emotion. He sarcastically said to me. "Doctor Santino, you couldn't resist a come back?"

"There lost is my gain, I think."

"They lost a key player. It's their fault."

"Or so I keep hearing." I sighed once I realized he didn't know what I was referring to. "TK and Lindsay both threatened to beat up the new owner. Then Matt suggested that I apologize. Yeah, never going to happen. Of course you know I am not one to apologize unless I know I am wrong. I told Matt straight out never going to happen. Then I noticed that I got my name from the Hawks, but I made my rep from myself. I proved it to myself once all the players that were seeing me decided to stay and that I am still getting regular new clients every week even after the Hawks were out of the picture. Sure the Hawks helped a bit in the big picture and I'm pretty sure you forced some of the players to come to therapy, so I do have you to slightly thank but from what I did to help these players I can do my practice without… normally getting disturbed in the middle of the night and being controlled by one team."

He only had one thing to say. "So Matt seriously suggested you should apologize."

I knew he was trying to figure out the whole Matt situation but at that moment I was oblivious. "Through the whole time he has known me I seriously would have figured he would know that I am too stubborn of a person to apologize for no reason. I know that you know that I wouldn't apologize."

I was so wrapped up in our conversation that he slowly moved forward so know he was only a foot or two away from me. "That I have known since day one Danielle, you're an… independently fierce women."

Of course the only thing that I picked up from what he said was "Fierce?"

I got lost in his eyes for some reason. It was the determination that was so damn mesmerizing. "Dani, I think we both know you don't back down from anything that might seem difficult. You're a rare type of person, you stand up for you self and your patients and you also don't back down from any challenge and the greatest part of you is you can survive change. You have numerous times in the past two years."

"Thanks Nico… you know you never answered my question."

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Is what obvious?"

"Why I am here Dani."

I was clearly avoiding the one thought that I knew was the reason he was at my house "I thought you needed some type of help to get onyx back from TK and yes TK told me your cat's name Which by the way you might want to do soon because he started to call him little king. But it did give him some responsibility."

"Little king?"

"He said something like onyx was not a bad name but if he was going to live under his roof it needed to change. Which I don't think he realized that little King is a fitting name for a cat."

"Dani I was going to get Onyx back later today and I was hoping you could help because from the sounds of it he is getting attached to my cat."

"Ok so that is the fixer part, what about the personal part?"

"And I state again isn't it obvious?"

Those words I heard got me in a certain way and I was willing to admit what it meant when he decided to put a hand on my shoulder. I turned towards him looking at the hand on my arm and slowly started to look back at him. "It has been since you arrived." I reached for his face and pulled him in closer to me and before I kissed him I said one last thing. "If this happens there's no going back."

"I know." Once he said that we both went in without a second thought this time. We were there for a little while just exploring each other's mouth and our hands teasing each other. It got to a point where I knew I wanted him up in my bed and I could tell he wanted it to. I slowly started to lead him to my room and this time we were where we wanted to be just a bit over a half a year ago but this time there was no interruptions and we went through with it several times with no regret what so ever.

I woke up to him holding me close into him. Sure it was only about an hour of sleep but I felt relaxed, rested, and safe. Once he noticed that I was awake he place a gentle kiss on top of my head, he said "Hey" softly to me. I moved closer into him and said "Hi" and we were there for a while just happy and content, able to live with what we just did, knowing that this was not just a onetime thing we were both in this for the long run. "You're going to have to let me go if we are going to get onyx."

"What if I don't?"

"I could live with it" a huge grin appeared on me when I said that because it was true and then it disappeared to an oh crap look. "Well not today. Lindsay supposed to be here in a few"

"How long?"

"In fifteen but knowing her lately, sooner." Once I said that we both were out of that bed in a finger snap. To my amazement he was in his pants and buttoning his shirt by the time I chose what to wear for the day. By the time I was changed and ready to go Lindsay had come home and only said Hi and I told her I was off to convince TK to let go of something for Nico.

When we finally reached TK's condo Nico knocked and TK answered "Nico my man, I see your back in town." Then he decided to look at me "and Doctor D is here, why do I not like where this is going." Then out of nowhere a cat came out of the door and rubbed up against Nico's legs and he bent down to pet him. "Oh you're here for little king."

"Yes and if you don't mind I like to have my cat back"

"Yeah no problem you said it would be for a little while anyways although I thought it would have been just a bit longer." TK gave onyx one last petting for a good bye before he continued. "You know this cat is a lot like you. I can't find him half the time and when I do it is at night and he is sleeping on my face."

"Terrence are you saying I sleep on your face?" then I felt a furry creature rub up against my feet and I jumped a mile in the air and Nico was smiling when he noticed me jumping "Dani careful it just means he likes you. Onyx's got good taste"

TK decided to reply to Nico "Speaking of which that cat is great with the ladies." On the last word he slowed down and then he started to look back and forth between me and Nico. We both saw a huge grin appear on his face and we know we are in trouble. "So Doctor D and Nico. Here together. Picking up a cat. That has the same taste as its owner. And the Doctor isn't talking. I so knew it would happen."

I went in for the bait and responded like I was uncertain what he was implying. "What would happen?"

"I'm sorry doc but you're playing dumb with me and I don't like it the only thing I know is some of the guys owe me money."

Then before I could say anything else Nico told TK "I put a stop on that a while ago before I left so I don't think you will be making money off of my and Dani's relationship"

I was amused when I saw TK go into his pouting faze. "Seriously dude, how? You're not even there anymore."

"I know and let's just say they're more scared of me then you think and if I here of anymore bets this cat is not going to be the only thing on your face." It got TK to shut up and we left with onyx and there were no more bets after that because they all were still scared of Nico.

I wish I could say everything was easy from that point on but it being my life it wasn't. We had some problems with old flames. Matt was pissed at first when he found out about me and Nico; I think he even threatened to hurt him. That would have not worked out in Matts favor. But as soon as Matt came into our life's he was gone and was in Miami for a permanent GM position. He thought it would be nice to tell me so he went to my house and Nico had answered the door. Let's just say I was glad he had a kid and he thought twice before he said or did anything he would regret that could land him in jail. Gabrielle was looking for Nico one day and found him but only in a restaurant with a date. She noticed and she acted civilized and left saying that I hope you two are happy. It shocked both of us knowing how much of a bitch she could be. Maybe she just needed some closure and when she saw us that was what she got or maybe she noticed the ring and thought that she owed him not to ruin this relationship but that was a year after he came back into my life.

And of course there was a problem with the business we both worked for. But that was neither here nor there at the time.

About a month after that night he came back into my life he had moved in and so did onyx. Lindsay actually liked the idea. I think it was because she could have her friends and other people scared of him. She also loved onyx; those two could not be detached when they were at home. Lindsay and Nico got along very well although she did and still does refer to him as Mr. scary dude but only as a joke now or when she wants something.

Then about a half a year later he decided to knock on my door in the middle of the night and proposed to me and I said yes. Then a few months later we were officially married. That's when TK got all the guys to pay up and used it as a wedding gift; we both knew he did that. I had the chose if I wanted to continue my practice because he reveled to me how much he actually made for those six months of working for Mark Cuban. Let's just say we didn't have to worry about anything. Of course I did keep my practice open because it was too important for me to shut it down. He knew that before he even mentioned anything it was just his way of saying there's nothing to worry about.

In the end we both ended up happy. And the man who knocked never left again.

* * *

_**Ok so if the writers are going a certain way with V3 that I think they are then there will be a sequel but for now this story has ended and any mistakes are my own.**_

_**Thanks for reading and tell me what you think.**_


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